GANESH CHATURTHI...... I am blessed to be in MAHARASHTRA :-)

1330th BLOG POST -->>

People from Kolkata often ask everyone to visit the state once during the Durga Puja to witness the whole scenario and proceedings. Similarly, I believe that one should definitely visit Mumbai, Pune or any of the states of Maharashtra during Ganesh Chaturthi for 10 days and witness what really joy, fun, happiness, energy and devotion is. There are always positives and negatives to find in any thing that takes place but talking only about the positives, Ganesh Chaturthi makes life easier for people residing in Maharashtra. Even when you are working in office or sitting for a lecture in college, you can hear a bhajan playing somewhere or the noise of dhol or bells ringing at some pandal. Even when you are doing your work, you are enjoying the festival in background. Ganesh Chaturthi adds flavor in the lifestyle and the craze stays for the next 10 days too.

I am only against unwanted noise and water pollution that are the resultants to such festivals but keeping these factors aside, experiencing Lord Ganesha and the energy he brings with himself is immensely interesting and unforgettable. We often stop believing in God when we face pain one after another and it seems as if our life will never be normal again. We even start abusing him in public and we find it cool in defining ourselves as atheist. But then the phase goes and incredibility starts happening with us again. Our belief for God starts returning and we again find ourselves in utmost devotion and dedication towards the Almighty. Since last 6 years, I have started following God more than anytime in my life. Surely in childhood, I prayed God with the most dedication but that was out of fear but the relationship with God now is of pure love and compassion.

Now I see idols of Lord Ganesha and tears start rolling down my cheeks. It happens if I start talking with God and thanking him for all the great things happening in my life. And during such seasons, when you find a beautiful idol at every 10 meters, it becomes hard to avoid the presence of God around me. I have never visited Lalbaug because these idols around me in my town gives me the best attention and grace. I touch feet of these idols with full dedication and find myself almost with God himself. The spiritual connect with any idol can make you feel you are sitting with God and talking about his greatness and its reflection in your life.

This Sunday, my mother and I decided to visit as many Ganesha Pandals in my town as possible and witness the creativity of each sculptor who gives definition to the presence of God through his eyes. It is an amazing experience to witness different shades of a God made by the hands of human being with great care and love. Not even one idol is defective. Because whenever you do something For God, With God and In Presence of God, things can never go wrong. I know this generation is too cool to even give a second look to a temple around because his group will call him a emo or a pandit or someone who believes in an absent figure who will solve all his problems. But only the devoted one can understand what kind of power the Almighty has through which he eliminates all our problems and fills our life with happiness.

I am sharing very few pictures from the Pandals that I visited just to give my readers a feeling of what kind of Pandals Maharashtra witness during these 10 days of Ganesh Chaturthi. I hope you will visit soon to enjoy with us the festival of enjoyment and togetherness. OM GANESHAY NAMAH!!!